2nd District Solon relays info on recent project
Aris turns over a new multipurpose building to barangay Sto. Rosario in CPG town
Second district Cong. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (inset) reports that the multipurpose building in barangay Sto. Rosario in Carlos P. Garcia (CPG) town was turned over to the barangay local government unit during rites held on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2021. According to Aumentado the building was financed through the assistance of Diwa party list led by Rep. Michael Aglipay and lawyer Jun Blanco. Contributed photo
Aris pushes for simultaneous agri & tourism dev’t
REP. Erico Aristotle of Bohol’s 2nd District pushes for more support to develop agriculture simultaneously with tourism – not just tourism alone.
Aumentado, in a report released by his office, urged fellow local leaders to focus on agriculture instead of focusing only on bringing in tourists here.
Bohol has been gradually opening its doors to visitors through “tourism bubbles” in the hopes of reviving the deflated local tourism industry.
“But pushing support for tourism while adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards agriculture cannot bring development to Bohol, it being basically an agricultural province,” the solon said.
The tourism sector only directly or indirectly involve less than 10 percent of the Boholanos.
Even graduates of tourism and tourism-related courses and industry workers, more often than not, are children of farmers.
To bridge the gap, Aumentado bared that agriculture must also be given attention. The solon added that developing tourism alone is a sure-fire formula for failure. After all, the tourism sector also eats, and the abundance of reasonably-priced food in all varieties is already one tourism come-on, the solon quipped.
Hotel bookings, restaurant reservations and tour arrangements can already be done on line. Travelers keep in touch with their respective families back home, their tour guides and vehicle drivers through the internet or their cellular phones, the solon from the second district noted.
However, most farmers, do not have the same easy access to information and communications technology.
He added the farmers need guidance through face to face conversations with agriculturists or even agriculture technicians.
Aumentado stressed that it would be best if the farmers can be guided as to what and where to plant, what seeds or plant varieties are most suitable for the type of soil of their farms, what fertilize to use, among others.
Moreover, he added, the agricultural workers should be provided links to the market to eliminate the trading layers.
“Only when the farmers are empowered can Bohol rise again to pre-CoViD-19 heights – or even higher,” the solon concluded.